


Cole for Christmas

by InterstellarVagabond



Category: Dragon Age: Inquisition
Genre: Other
Language: English
Status: Completed
Published: 2016-12-16
Updated: 2016-12-16
Packaged: 2018-09-08 21:22:19
Rating: General Audiences
Warnings: No Archive Warnings Apply
Chapters: 1
Words: 1,019
Publisher: archiveofourown.org
Story URL: https://archiveofourown.org/works/8862574
Author URL: https://archiveofourown.org/users/InterstellarVagabond/pseuds/InterstellarVagabond
Summary: A bitter winter had come to Skyhold, and had succeeded in dampening the spirits of even the Inquisition's most optimistic members. People were grunting their greetings, and rushing quickly from building to building to avoid the biting winds. In the midst of all the winter misery, there was compassion with plans to turn the overall mood around.





	

**Author's Note:**

> THE TITLE IS A PUN, GET IT?

A bitter winter had come to Skyhold, and had succeeded in dampening the spirits of even the Inquisition's most optimistic members. People were grunting their greetings, and rushing quickly from building to building to avoid the biting winds. In the midst of all the winter misery, there was compassion with plans to turn the overall mood around. 

Cole watched as Cassandra snapped at a young recruit who had bumped into her, accidentally knocking the book from her hands. While the recruit cowered in fear of the famed dragonslayer, only Cole knew that the reason for Cassandra's anger was that she hadn't slept at all thanks to a night of shivering, and she was afraid the recruit had seen the Tethras romance novel she'd been reading. There were many such misunderstandings happening all throughout the Skyhold, and no one seemed to be in a mood to do anything about it. Even Inquisitor Adaar had seemed melancholy when greeting Cole that morning, and she always had a smile to spare for the young spirit.

Cole stepped around Cassandra, willing himself unseen. He had work to do that required the art of disappearing.

It was warmer, and more brightly lit inside the main hall. Despite the golden glow, Cole sensed no joy in the area. 

"Damn!" Varric swore, dropping his pen on the table and bringing his hands up to rub at his temples. "I'm no writer I'm a fluff piece provider."

The dwarf sighed and lifted a page from the pile of paper before him to examine it more closely. He took up his pen again and scratched out the lines he'd just written. Cole crept closer, coming behind Varric's shoulder and leaning in towards his ear. 

"Write a story for Cassandra," he whispered, using a trick that had often served him in the past. He planted the idea in Varric's head, still invisible to his eyes. Varric showed no sign of hearing Cole, but his face did become thoughtful. He flipped the piece of paper over and began scribbling away. Cole nodded and moved on through the hall. 

When he came to Josephine's office he saw Adaar leaning over the desk, her face close to Josephine's. Cole had often been told that his presence, invisible or not, during moments of affection such as these was considered rude, so he turned around and hummed a song he knew. Once the song was done he turned around again, and saw Adaar bidding Josephine goodbye before walking past Cole. Josephine watched her go, and Cole noticed the dark circles around her eyes. She'd been working later and later these days. Cole reached under his hat and retrieved a small box of spiced tea from Antiva. He placed it on a nearby bookshelf where Josephine was sure to notice it once he had gone.

"Ugggggh I don't want to do anything ever again," Sera moaned. The elf was hanging upside down off a table, holding an empty mug in her right hand. The Iron Bull grunted in reply, more occupied with cleaning his knife than any actual socializing. Cole cocked his head to the side, wondering if it was fun to hang off the table. He tried it for a moment with the table next to Sera, but decided it would be better to keep going through with his plan before having fun.

He slipped a jar between the cushions in the room Sera had claimed for herself, and an eyepatch with a dragon on it was tucked into The Iron Bull's belt. Cole also made sure to leave a tight fitting garment for Krem that would not hurt his ribs the way his current method of binding did.

The sun set before Cole was finished his work. He left a whimpering mabari puppy in Cullen's room, a pair of Orlesian shoes in Leiliana's. He tucked a leatherbound journal and new pens under Varric's pillow, Vivienne got a necklace of frost colored gems, and by then Varric had written a short story about a warrior of faith which Cole left tucked in the pages of Cassandra's book. He left Blackwall a stone necklace of a griffin, Dorian got a new chess set, and by then Cole was beginning to worry if he'd manage to give everyone their gifts. There were so many people in Skyhold, they all deserved something. 

After replacing the strings on Maryden's lute Cole left for the Inquistor's quarters. At first he thought that Adaar was out, but a chuckle behind him alerted him to the fact that not only was Adaar still in the room but she could see him.

"It isn't fair, you can always see me," Cole almost pouted. 

"Someone has to notice all the nice things you do," Adaar smiled. "You've been busy today."

"I wanted to make everyone happy," Cole said.

"That's a difficult task," Adaar said. She walked over to a chair in the corner and sat down, gesturing for Cole to sit in the one across from her. "You can't make everyone happy, Cole."

"I can, I just have to try hard enough," Cole insisted, clenching his fists until his nails left crescent shaped indents on his palms.

"The only person you can change is you," Adaar said. "Random acts of kindness are always good, but if they don't make people smile you can't blame yourself. You can't take it upon yourself to be responsible for everyone's mood."

"But I can still help?" Cole asked.

"Yes, you can still help," Adaar said. "Just remember to help yourself once in awhile too." She handed him a box that had been wrapped and tied with a ribbon. Cole took it, staring at the gift in amazement and something akin to revereance. 

"By the way, I thought the fireflies for Sera were an interesting choice," Adaar said. 

"I was going to give her termites, so she could use them for jokes, but then other people wouldn't have been happy," Cole said. "So I gave her fireflies. They're like bees, but they don't sting."

"Can I help you finish your gift giving?" Adaar asked. Cole smiled and nodded.


End file.
